FW: Publications, Learning, and Funding

From our colleagues at USDA-RD; focus on local food systems and economic development!

 

From: Agans, Suzette - RD, Washington, DC [mailto:Suzette.Agans@wdc.usda.gov]
Sent: Friday, September 26, 2014 10:07 AM
Subject: Publications, Learning, and Funding

 

PUBLICATIONS

 

Farmers Market and Local Food Marketing – List of Program and Services available from UDSA Agriculture Marketing – including food hubs, local food, farmers market and grant programs.

 

Food Value Chains: Creating Shared Value to Enhance Marketing Success - Food value chains are business arrangements distinguished by their commitment to transparency, collaborative business planning and exchange of market intelligence and business know how among chain partners, and their interest in developing business strategies and solutions that yield tangible benefits to each participant in the system. The Wallace Center, in collaboration with USDA's Agricultural Marketing Service, and American University has released a new resource, Food Value Chains: Creating Shared Value to Enhance Marketing Success. This document is designed to provide guidance on how food value chains are initiated and structured, how they function, and the benefits they provide to participants, with the intent of encouraging their adoption where the opportunities for successful collaboration exist. Source: USDA AMS

 

Moving Food Along the Value Chain: Innovations in Regional Food Distribution – Report examines the aggregation, distribution, and marking of weight diverse food value chains to glean practical lessons about how they operate, the challenges they face, and they take advantage of emerging opportunities for marketing differentiated food products. Source: USDA AMS

 

AARP and Harvard University Release Report Addressing Housing Issues Facing Older Americans
AARP and the Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University recently released a new report, Housing America’s Older Adults:  Meeting the Needs of An Aging Population. The report notes that “the existing housing stock is unprepared to meet the escalating need for affordability, accessibility, social connectivity, and supportive services” for older adults (defined as 50 and over in the report).  The publication addresses these issues and provides strategies for solving these difficult challenges, noting “these changes will improve not only quality of life for older adults, but also the livability of communities for people of all ages.”  Click here to download the report. 

 

Empowering Women through Financial Literacy: Realities and Resources
Learn how financial literacy can empower women. Extra Credit explores myths, realities, and resources for women's financial empowerment.

 

 

LEARNING 

 

WEBINAR: Rewriting the Rural Narrative Thursday, October 9, 2014, 4-5 p.m. EDT

Brain drain—the loss of 18-29 year olds—dominates the conversation about rural population change. Yet at the same time, a lesser known migration is occurring. A majority of rural counties are, in fact, experiencing “brain gains” as newcomers age 30-49 move in. Most communities aren’t tuned in to positive migration and miss out on the opportunities that come with newcomers. Ben Winchester, research fellow for the University of Minnesota Extension, Center for Community Vitality, has studied the trend and has great ideas for making the most of positive migration patterns.  Join our next CommunityMatters^® and Citizen’s Institute on Rural Design™ webinar to hear Ben’s research on rural migration trends and the impacts they have on social and economic opportunity. Learn how communities are responding to these trends and what can be done in your town.

 

WEBINAR: “Building Relationships through Better Understanding of One Another ”

Tuesday, October 14, 2014, 12pm-1pm (CST) / 1pm — 2pm (EST). http://univmissouri.adobeconnect.com/r6vthwavfhd/ - “Enter as a guest.” Type your name (first and last) into the text box provided, and click on “enter room.” You are now in the meeting room for this webinar.

Presentation: “The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place” - George Bernard Shaw. Too often, we walk away from a conversation with another person comprehending the opposite of what he or she had intended. Missed messages can worsen when the communicators come from different backgrounds – socially, culturally, and linguistically. Understanding how we hear one another, will improve communication. This interactive webinar will help participants learn about the varying barriers to clear communication and the cultural patterns that come into play when we interact.

Debra Bolton, PhD: Dr. Bolton has been on faculty at Kansas State University for nine year as an extension specialist in Family and Consumer Sciences. She works with Agents in 26 counties of Southwest Kansas where the three population centers are Minority-majorities. Bolton is engaged in multi-lingual research in densely-settled and frontier rural communities focusing on health, well-being, integration, and social connectedness. She presents workshops in cross-cultural communications, grant development, logic model building, and strategic planning. Besides working with agents, Debra, a certified family life educator, teaches writing to women working on high school diplomas. In her past careers, Debra worked in public radio and taught English literature. Debra studies geography and plays banjo for a band in her spare time.

 

WEBINAR: Arts and Community: Funding Opportunities and Resources from the National Endowment for the Arts, October 20, 2014 (Monday), 1:00 PM – Eastern Time

http://connect.msu.edu/ncrcrd  Registration: There is no registration and no fee for attending this webinar.

This webinar will explain funding and resources provided by the National Endowment for the Arts to support arts-based community development activities.  Through its programs the Endowment supports American communities in their efforts to engage the arts in making places more livable. It will explain Challenge America Fast Track, Art Works, and Our Town funding guidelines and walk through some new resources that provide technical assistance to communities.

About the Speaker: Jason Schupbach is the Director of Design Programs for the National Endowment for the Arts, where he oversees all design and creative placemaking grantmaking and partnerships, including Our Town and Design Art Works grants, the Mayor’s Institute on City Design, the Citizens’ Institute on Rural Design, and the NEA's involvement in the HUD Sandy Recovery Taskforce Rebuild by Design Competition. 

To join the webinar go to http://connect.msu.edu/ncrcrd, “enter as a guest” is by default already chosen. Type your name into the text box provided, and click on “Enter Room”. You are now in the meeting room for the webinar.

 

 

FUNDING

 

Smart Growth America to Deliver Free Community and Economic Development Workshops to Communities   
Each year, Smart Growth America makes a limited number of technical assistance workshops available to interested communities for zero cost.  This competitive award gives communities a chance to understand the technical aspects of smart growth development through a one- or two-day workshop.  Applications are now being accepted for the 2015 workshop series.  Communities can apply for one of 12 workshop types as part of the free program, including planning for economic and fiscal health; regional planning for small communities; parking audits; land use code audits; walkability workshops; and others.  Any unit or subdivision of local government, tribe, or regional government is eligible to apply for these free workshops.  Communities may apply for more than one workshop, but must submit separate applications for each.  Applications are due by October 23 at 5:00 p.m. ET.  Click here for more information and to apply. 

 

YMCA Announces Third Annual My Fresh Page Project Competition  - DEADLINE: October 24, 2014

A total of $20,000 will be awarded in support of small ideas that have a big impact on a community....

 

Great Lakes Higher Education Guaranty Corporation Seeks to Boost College Readiness - DEADLINE: November 12, 2014

Two-year grants of up to $600,000 are available for programs in Iowa, Ohio, Minnesota, and Wisconsin that help prepare high school juniors in the math and English skills they will need for college....

 

Chesapeake Bay Trust Accepting Applications for Maryland Outreach and Restoration Projects - DEADLINE: December 5, 2014

Grants of up to $75,000 will be awarded for outreach and restoration activities that promote a stewardship ethic toward Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries and for on-the-ground restoration activities....

 

Arch Coal Foundation Invites Nominations for 2015 Teacher Recognition Awards - DEADLINE: January 5, 2015

Outstanding K-12 teachers from West Virginia and Wyoming will receive a $3,500 personal cash award and widespread recognition of their excellence in the classroom....

 

Mountaineers Foundation Offers Funding for Research and Conservation of Pacific Northwest Wilderness  - DEADLINE: February 1, 2015

Grants of up to $5,000 will be awarded to organizations and agencies working to preserve the natural beauty and ecological integrity of the Pacific Northwest area

 

Treasury Department Publishes Funding Opportunities under RESTORE Act on www.grants.gov. Applications are due by March 15, 2015 under each competition. Trust Fund amounts are available to carry out eligible activities described in the RESTORE Act. These are:

a) Restoration and protection of the natural resources, ecosystems, fisheries, marine and wildlife habitats, beaches and coastal wetlands of the Gulf Coast region.

b) Mitigation of damage to fish, wildlife and natural resources.

c) Implementation of a federally approved marine, coastal, or comprehensive conservation management plan, including fisheries monitoring.

d) Workforce development and job creation.

e) Improvements to or on State parks located in coastal areas affected by the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.

f) Infrastructure projects benefitting the economy or ecological resources, including port infrastructure.

g) Coastal flood protection and related infrastructure.

h) Planning assistance.

i) Administrative costs.

j) Promotion of tourism in the Gulf Coast region, including recreational fishing.

k) Promotion of the consumption of seafood harvested from the Gulf Coast region.

Links are available from the Treasury Department’s website at http://www.treasury.gov/services/restore-act/Pages/default.aspx.  This webpage presents a complete compendium of the Department’s activities.

 

 

 

 

Suzette M. Agans

Community and Economic Development
Rural Development | U.S. Department of Agriculture
1400 Independence Ave., S.W. | Washington, D.C. 20250-3253
Phone: 202.401.1922 | Fax 202.401.7311
www.rurdev.usda.gov

 

"Committed to the future of rural communities"
"Estamos dedicados al futuro de las comunidades rurales"

 

This electronic message contains information generated by the USDA solely for the intended recipients. Any unauthorized interception of this message or the use or disclosure of the information it contains may violate the law and subject the violator to civil or criminal penalties. If you believe you have received this message in error, please notify the sender and delete the email immediately.

FW: Publications, Tools, Learning, and Funding

From our colleagues at USDA-Rural Development. This week there’s a particular focus on rural health/healthcare/health insurance.

 

From: Agans, Suzette - RD, Washington, DC [mailto:Suzette.Agans@wdc.usda.gov]
Sent: Friday, September 19, 2014 8:18 AM
Subject: Publications, Tools, Learning, and Funding

 

PUBLICATIONS

 

New Community Builders Report Describes Commercial Real Estate Trends in the West: From Malls to Main Streets

A new study released by Community Builders, a project of the Sonoran Institute, shows how commercial real estate in the West is trending away from single-use malls on the outskirts of town and toward smaller shops in town centers.  Economic, demographic, and consumer preference trends, along with the growing prevalence of online shopping, are having significant influences on consumer behavior that are beginning to change commercial real estate markets.  These changes are driving retailers to look at smaller formats in places with higher foot traffic, such as mixed-use areas where housing and office space are located near stores.  The two dominant population cohorts in the U.S., Generation Y and Baby Boomers, will continue to drive these trends.  However, various types of mixed-use development are more feasible in some places than others, and matching the type and size of development to the community is essential.  “ReStore: Commercial and Mixed-Use Development Trends in the Rocky Mountain West” explores broad trends in the mixed-use development landscape, features specific case studies from the Rocky Mountain region, and provides recommendations on the types and scales of mixed-use development that are most appropriate for different types of communities.  The report is intended to help local officials, planners, developers, architects, and financial lenders understand emerging trends and set realistic expectations for the type of projects that are most likely to succeed in different markets.  Click here to view the report.  

 

Grocery store prices for beef, pork, and eggs are up as U.S. supplies decrease

Retail food-at-home prices in the second quarter of 2014 were 2.3 percent higher than a year ago, as most at-home food categories increased in price. Retail beef and veal prices were up 10.8 percent as the supply of beef is strained by historically low herd sizes. Over the same time period, pork prices increased 11.2 percent, partially the result of the Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea virus, which has reduced litter sizes and increased piglet mortality. Egg prices are also up, in part due to increasing exports and a strong domestic demand for eggs and egg products. The increases in beef and veal, pork, and egg prices are the largest year-over-year increases since the fourth quarter of 2011. A chart appears in the Food Prices and Spending section of ERS’s Ag and Food Statistics: Charting the Essentials data product, updated September 10, 2014. More information on ERS’s food price forecasts can also be found in ERS’s Food Price Outlook data product.

 

Health Insurance in the United States: 2013
Reports on health insurance coverage, including data on private insurance, government insurance coverage, and the uninsured. Table 5 (page 11) offers metropolitan and non-metropolitan data. Based on data from the 2014 Current Population Survey Annual Social and Economic Supplement. Organization: U.S. Census Bureau Date: 09 / 2014

 

Rural Implications of the Blueprints for State-Based Health Insurance Marketplaces
Presents different states’ approaches to the health insurance marketplaces including service areas and rating areas, network adequacy requirements, rural consumer outreach, rural representation on the Marketplace governing board, certification and oversight of Qualified Health Plans, and design of the Small Business Health Options Program.
Organization: RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis. Date: 09 / 2014

 

Rural Transit Fact Book 2014
Serves as a national resource for statistics and information on rural transit in America. Includes rural demographic and travel behavior data indicating that work, school, and medical trips comprise a higher percentage of rural transit trips. Includes state-by-state data. Organization: Upper Great Plains Transportation Institute. Date: 08 / 2014

 

The Changing State of States' Economies
No state in the country escaped the Great Recession unscathed, although some states suffered more than others. Similarly, the ensuing recovery has unfolded unevenly. A recent macroblog post examines the impact of the downturn and the rebound at the state level.

 

 

TOOLS

 

Rural Grocery Tool Kit

This resource library or “tool kit” is designed to provide resources to two primary audiences: those who are considering establishing a grocery store; and existing rural grocery store owners.

 

Tools & Strategies for Managing Health Networks
A web-based searchable tool that provides templates, guides, and other resources to assist network leaders in the management and development of their network. Includes a variety of resources focused on rural health networks. Organization: National Cooperative of Health Networks Association

 

SelectUSA

SelectUSA seeks to highlight the many advantages the United States offers as a location for business and investment.

From a vast domestic market, to a transparent legal system, to the most innovative companies in the world, America is the place for business.

 

 

LEARNING

 

WEBINAR: Building a Manufacturing Talent Pipeline – Sept 25, 2014 at 2pm ET
The U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the American Association of Community Colleges are hosting a webinar on September 25 at 2:00 p.m. ET aimed at expanding the number and quality of employer-led workforce training initiatives in advanced manufacturing.  The webinar will highlight one of the most innovative workforce models in the country: a regional partnership between a consortium of colleges, a state manufacturing extension partnership, and the advanced manufacturing industry.  The Massachusetts Manufacturing Advancement Center Workforce Innovation Collaborative (MACWIC) has produced an industry-endorsed stackable credential model and a pipeline of talent for a range of manufacturing companies in need of skilled workers.  The webinar will also highlight the software design technology industry where Siemens Inc. leaders will announce future plans for partnering with community colleges and manufacturing extension partnerships.  Click here to register.

 

Rural Gateway Conference Call: NEA Arts-Driven Community and Economic Development in Rural Areas: A Discussion of Best Practices - September 25, 2014 - 2:00 pm EDT. Please RSVP by email to rhed@hud.gov no later than 10 a.m. on Wednesday, September 24, 2014.  Please include your name and organization.

National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) Arts-Driven Community and Economic Development in Rural Areas: A Discussion of Best Practices
HUD’s Office of Rural Housing and Economic Development (ORHED) invites you to take part in our next Peer-to-Peer conference call.  Scheduled for September 25, 2014 this call will offer participants the opportunity to learn about the National Endowment for the Arts' (NEA) support of rural communities, focusing on their place-based investments and the field of practice linking rural arts stakeholders and rural community development stakeholders .

On this call, leaders of the NEA will share their knowledge of successful arts-driven place-based  activities that have expanded and created opportunities for those living in Rural America, and shed light on how rural arts stakeholders are finding powerful ways to link the arts to core community development projects and other funding streams.  Practitioners will share their experiences and shine a light on potential opportunities for rural communities to better leverage their arts assets.  Participants will have the opportunity to ask questions about best practices and federal programs (not limited to the NEA) that could support their communities, discuss the challenges of conducting this work in Rural America, and establish contacts for future reference.

Join HUD’s Office of Rural Housing and Economic Development (ORHED) and the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) staff as we engage rural community leaders in this open forum on opportunities available through the NEA.  Speakers will include:

• Valerie G. Piper, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Economic Development, Community Planning and Development, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
• Jackie L. Williams, Ph.D., Moderator, Director, Office of Rural Housing and Economic  Development, Community Planning and Development, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
• Dan Lurie, Senior Advisor to the Chairman & Director of Strategic Partnerships, National Endowments for the Arts
• Jen Hughes, Design Specialist and program manager for Our Town, National Endowment for the Arts
• Charles Fluharty, President and CEO, Rural Policy Research Institute

Topics to be discussed

• Overview of funding opportunities at NEA
• Discussion of exemplar projects
• NEA's role in Promise Zone Initiative and other key federal place-based initiatives
• Other potential sources of support for arts-driven community development Next steps

Format of the call

Call-in instructions and additional materials will be emailed to participants on Wednesday, September 24, 2014.  The 60 minute call will include presentations and a Q&A session. If you have any questions, please call 1-877-RURAL-26 (1-877-787-2526).

 

 

FUNDING           

 

Connect 4 Mental Health Seeks Entries for 2014 Community Innovation Awards - DEADLINE: October 3, 2014

Four $10,000 prizes will be awarded to U.S.-based community programs that exhibit innovative work in the categories of early intervention, creative use of technology, continuity of care, and service integration....

 

Healthy Tomorrows Partnership for Children Program - Application deadline: Oct 14, 2014
Grants to support community-based child health projects that improve the health status of mothers, infants, children, and adolescents by increasing their access to health services.
Sponsor: Maternal and Child Health

 

Fitch Charitable Foundation Fellowships for Mid-Career Professionals in Preservation and Related Fields - DEADLINE: October 15, 2014

Grants of up to $15,000 will be awarded to mid-career professionals working on preservation-related projects in a range of fields....

 

NEA Foundation Invites Applications for Learning & Leadership Grant Program - DEADLINE: October 15, 2014

Grants of up to $5,000 will be awarded to educators and school staff for individual professional development opportunities and group projects related to collegial study....

 

Shared Insight Fund Invites Proposals for Projects to Improve Philanthropy - DEADLINE: October 15, 2014

The fund, a multiyear collaboration of seven funders, will pool their resources to improve philanthropy....

 

Whole Kids School Garden Grant Program - Application deadline: Oct 31, 2014
Offers grants to develop school gardens. Sponsor: Whole Kids Foundation

 

Lilly Endowment Accepting Applications for Teacher Creativity Fellowships - DEADLINE: November 3, 2014

The program will award a hundred grants of $10,000 each to K-12 educators in Indiana to pursue an "imaginative project" that infuses their busy lives with personal renewal and intellectual revitalization....

 

NCTM Accepting Applications or Equity in Mathematics Grants - DEADLINE: November 7, 2014

Grants of up to $8,000 will be awarded in support of projects designed to improve the achievement of middle school student populations with a record of underachievement....

 

National Health Service Corps (NHSC) Students to Service Loan Repayment Program (S2S LRP) - Application deadline: Nov 13, 2014
Provides loan repayment assistance to medical students (MD and DO) who agree to provide primary care health services in eligible Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs) of greatest need.
Sponsor: National Health Service Corps

 

Robert Wood Johnson Health Policy Fellows - Application deadline: Nov 13, 2014
A fellowship program designed to develop the capacity of midcareer health professionals and behavioral and social scientists with an interest in health to participate in health policy processes at the federal level. Sponsor: Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

 

Rural Health Care Services Outreach Grant Program - Application deadline: Nov 14, 2014
Supports projects that will enhance and sustain the delivery of effective healthcare in rural communities. Sponsor: Office of Rural Health Policy

 

NIH Health Disparities Research Loan Repayment Program - Application deadline: Nov 15, 2014
Offers loan repayment assistance for health professionals who commit to research projects related to health disparities. Sponsor: National Institutes of Health

 

National Disaster Resilience Competition NOFA – Application deadline: March 15, 2015

This NOFA will award supplemental disaster recovery CDBG funds competitively for resilient recovery activities. Because the law directs that CDBG-DR assistance must flow to the most impacted and distressed areas with unmet recovery and revitalization needs related to the effects of a covered major disaster, HUD decided that a competition framework would work best to elicit the data needed to inform allocation choices and ensure that the unmet disaster recovery and revitalization needs of communities around the country are appropriately considered. This publication provides information and instructions for the CDBG-NDR competition, Phases 1 and 2. The requirements for applicants are to be found in this Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) and in those General Section to HUD's FY2014 NOFAs for Discretionary Programs expressly incorporated. HUD will award CDBG-NDR funds at the end of Phase 2. All awarded funds shall assist eligible CDBG-NDR activities. HUD is making available approximately $1 billion in assistance, covering both phases of the competition.

Funding Opportunity Number: FR-5800-N-29. Email address where you can direct formal questions:  resilientrecovery@hud.gov

Other links: 

·        http://hud.gov/resilience

·        HUD Portal with links to NOFA and resilience-related resources:  https://www.hudexchange.info/cdbg-dr/resilient-recovery/

·        Press Release:  http://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/HUD?src=/press/press_releases_media_advisories/2014/HUDNo_14-109

·        Fact Sheet:  http://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/documents/huddoc?id=NDRCFactSheetFINAL.pdf

·        NDRC NOFA posted on Grants.gov (link via HUD’s Funds Available webpage):  http://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/HUD?src=/program_offices/administration/grants/fundsavail

 

ACHA Foundation Invites Applications for Aetna Student Health Award - DEADLINE: January 31, 2015

Grants of $5,000 will be awarded to support the creation of novel wellness solutions and programs that address issues specifically related to the retention and overall well-being of college students....

 

American College Health Foundation Seeks Applications for Campus Health Initiatives - DEADLINE: January 31, 2015

Grants of $2,500 will be awarded in support of campus initiatives that foster positive ACHA Health Campus 2020 outcomes for the campus community....

 

USAC Rural Health Care Telecommunications Program - Applications accepted on an ongoing basis.
Provides discounts to rural health care providers to obtain internet and telecommunications access. Sponsor: Universal Service Administrative Company

 

Wells Fargo Corporate Giving Programs - Geographic Coverage: Available in 40 States.
Application deadline: Applications accepted on an ongoing basis. Funding for nonprofit organizations in the areas of community development, education, human services, arts and culture, civic responsibility, and environmental consciousness. Sponsor: Wells Fargo

 

 

Newsletters and email from where I gather this information include:

 

v  Foundation Center RFP Service -  To subscribe or unsubscribe, or to change your e-mail address, visit: http://foundationcenter.org/newsletters/

v  To subscribe to the RAC Health Listserv - click here to go to the subscription form.

v  Electronic newsletter of the RUPRI Center for Rural Entrepreneurship, Rural Entrepreneurship News. To subscribe, http://team.energizingentrepreneurs.org/news2/public_html/lists/?p=subscribe  

v  Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City newsletter: http://www.kansascityfed.org/alert/’

v  Blue Avocado Nonprofit Magazine - They have a newsletter on boards and nonprofit management, down-to-earth and useful.  http://www.blueavocado.org/

v  Rural LISC e-newsletter - http://www.lisc.org/rural

v  National Association for Development Organizations (NADO) – www.nado.org

v  ERS - A notification service is provided by USDA's Economic Research Service for Charts of Note and other research to keep you informed of the latest and most relevant research on the topics that interest you. You can subscribe at http://www.ers.usda.gov/Updates/

v  Department of Labor – Email Subscription Service - https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/USDOL/subscriber/new?topic_id=USDOL_167

v  Orton Family Foundation – email sign-up - http://www.orton.org/sign_up

This is the bulk of them, a few others are random.

 

 

Suzette M. Agans

Community and Economic Development
Rural Development | U.S. Department of Agriculture
1400 Independence Ave., S.W. | Washington, D.C. 20250-3253
Phone: 202.401.1922 | Fax 202.401.7311
www.rurdev.usda.gov

 

"Committed to the future of rural communities"
"Estamos dedicados al futuro de las comunidades rurales"

 

This electronic message contains information generated by the USDA solely for the intended recipients. Any unauthorized interception of this message or the use or disclosure of the information it contains may violate the law and subject the violator to civil or criminal penalties. If you believe you have received this message in error, please notify the sender and delete the email immediately.

FW: Webinar: Funding Sources for Local Food System in Midwest Communities

 

 

From: North Central Regional Center for Rural Development [mailto:NCRCRD@anr.msu.edu]
Sent: Monday, September 15, 2014 10:35 AM
Subject: Webinar: Funding Sources for Local Food System in Midwest Communities

 

Feel free to share with others who may be interested in participating in tomorrow’s webinar:

 

WEBINAR ANNOUNCEMENT Case Studies of Funding Sources for Local Food Systems in Midwest Communities   Linda Naeve and Christa Hartsook (Iowa State University)   September 16, 2014 (Tuesday) 10:00 AM CT / 11:00 AM – Eastern Time   http://connect.msu.edu/ncrcrd

 

 

About the webinar: 

Support for and interest in local food systems is increasing in communities throughout the country. Much of the efforts are through “grassroots” organizations that seek funding support for their projects and programs. This project focused on seven programs in Midwest communities and how they utilized several grant sources to accomplish their goals. Linda and Christa will discuss the increased awareness in local foods and report on the case studies of funding support for community local foods programs.

 

About the Speakers:

Linda Naeve is an extension program specialist at Iowa State University. As a specialist in horticulture, much of her work focuses on local food production, food safety, and local food systems.

 

Christa Hartsook is an extension program coordinator at Iowa State University. As the small farms/acreage living coordinator, she focuses on local food production, opportunities for small farmers and homesteading.

 

 

There is no registration and no fee for attending this webinar.

 

To join the webinar go to http://connect.msu.edu/ncrcrd, “enter as a guest” is by default already chosen. Type your name into the text box provided, and click on “Enter Room”. You are now in the meeting room for the webinar.

 

If you’ve never used Adobe Connect on the computer you will be using, please use the “Test your connection” link below and do a test connection to the actual meeting space well in advance of the scheduled meeting time. http://connect.msu.edu/common/help/en/support/meeting_test.htm

 

To facilitate Q&A’s, participants submit questions/comments via the Chat Function in Adobe Connect.

 

The webinar will be recorded and archived at http://ncrcrd.msu.edu/ncrcrd/chronological_archive.

 

To receive these announcements directly, or to correct errors in our distribution list, please email soliz@anr.msu.edu.

 

 

North Central Regional Center for Rural Development

Michigan State University

Justin S. Morrill Hall of Agriculture

446 W. Circle Drive, Room 66

East Lansing, MI 48824

517.355.3373

 

FW: Publications, Tools, Learning, and Funding

All,

Below is the weekly update from USDA-RD on grants, webinars, etc.

 

Attached is the flyer and registration for the annual Rural Economic Outlook conference, Oct 30-31, on the OSU campus. You should consider coming, but feel free to share this with others that may be interested (e.g., local bankers, economic development professionals, city/county leadership).

 

From: Agans, Suzette - RD, Washington, DC [mailto:Suzette.Agans@wdc.usda.gov]
Sent: Friday, September 12, 2014 7:22 AM
Subject: Publications, Tools, Learning, and Funding

 

PUBLICATIONS

 

A Different Perspective on Manufacturing

When we look at manufacturing, we typically look at the number of manufacturing jobs as a gauge on how the sector is doing. A report from 24/7 Wall Street in August looked at manufacturing output as a percentage of GDP (Gross Domestic Product). The information was very encouraging. This week we will share excerpts from the article, and next week we will look specifically at the 17 states in which Agracel has projects. Click on link for the rest of the article.

 

U.S. fiscal 2015 agricultural exports forecast down from fiscal 2014 record

Fiscal 2015 U.S. agricultural exports are projected at $144.5 billion, down $8 billion from the record $152.5 billion forecast for fiscal 2014, primarily because of the outlook for lower commodity prices. Lower prices are projected to reduce fiscal 2015 exports of oilseeds and products by $5.1 billion and cotton by $600 million, while lower prices and volumes reduce grain and feed exports by $4.9 billion, compared with fiscal 2014. Horticultural exports are, however, projected to rise $2.9 billion to a record $37.0 billion in fiscal 2015, eclipsing exports of grains and feeds for the first time. Agricultural exports to China are forecast down $3.0 billion from fiscal 2014, but China is expected to remain the top U.S. agricultural market. Exports to Russia are projected to decline by $800 million to $400 million in fiscal 2015 as a result of trade restrictions against the United States. U.S. agricultural imports are forecast at a record $117 billion in fiscal 2015, $7.5 billion higher than in fiscal 2014, with the largest gains in horticultural products, sugar and tropical products, and livestock products. Find these data and additional analysis in the Outlook for U.S. Agricultural Trade: August 2014.

 

 

TOOLS

 

Policies for Community Wealth Building - This new report, which can be downloaded below, is a representative survey of some key emerging best practices in state and local policy-making to support community wealth building—designed to support economic inclusion goals, create quality jobs with family-supporting wages, address generational poverty, stabilize communities and the environment, and address growing wealth inequality. The recommendations below build off our work since 2005 tracking innovative state, local, and national strategies through our Community-Wealth.org website, where we have paid close attention to the policies that have helped scale and generalize best practices in community wealth building since the emergence of the field. Our recommendations also draw specifically from our work to develop a model national policy to support comprehensive community wealth building in our 2010 report Rebuilding America’s Communities: A Comprehensive Community Wealth Building Federal Policy Proposal, our 2013 invited proposal of a policy agenda for community wealth building to the Illinois Governor’s Task Force on Social Innovation, as well as our work on the ground with policy makers and economic development officials in cities like Cleveland, Ohio and Jacksonville, Florida.

 

Track a Century of U.S. Development With a Tool That Centralizes Old Maps, Citylab | READ STORY

This interactive map tool provided by the United States Geological Survey (USGS) allows those interested in cartography and development a way to view the agency's expansive collection. The website allows the user to access over 178,000 maps going back to 1884; the maps are also searchable by city. It is possible to layer maps on each other which allows for a very clear visual representation how a city or area has expanded.

 

New Online Tool Provides State & Local Energy Data at Your Fingertips

The U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, in partnership with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, has launched a new website that provides state and local decision makers easy access to a wealth of energy data specific to their location.  The resources and data can be used to support strategic energy planning processes and deployment of clean energy projects. By entering a city and state or zip code into the State and Local Energy Data (SLED) online tool, users can see how their current electricity prices compare with the state and national averages, learn about applicable policies and incentives that could affect energy projects in their state, find available renewable energy resources, get details on alternative transportation fuel costs, and much more – all in one location.  The tool also includes a video that provides an overview of how to use the tool and examples of how you may find it useful in your community.

 

Workforce Information: Census Flows Mapper Highlights Labor Force Characteristics of Movers Between Counties

Of the 16.6 million people who lived in a different county one year before, 7.3 million were employed and 1.3 million were unemployed, according to new migration statistics released  this week by the U.S. Census Bureau. A little over 5 percent of the U.S. population lived in a different county one year earlier.

The County-to-County Migration Flows Tables, which use data collected by the American Community Survey between 2008 and 2012, show how many residents move (flow) from one specific county to another during the course of a year.

“These statistics show the work, occupation and employment status of movers at the time they were surveyed,” said Kin Koerber, a demographer with the Census Bureau’s Journey-to-Work and Migration Statistics Branch. “With the new update, we can see movements of occupation groups from one part of the country to another.”

The release includes new statistics on employment status, work status and occupation characteristics and an update to the online mapping tool Census Flows Mapper. In addition, migration flows from Puerto Rico municipios (county equivalents) to U.S. counties are included for the first time.

 

 

LEARNING

 

WEBINAR: Case Studies of Funding Sources for Local Food Systems in Midwest Communities - September 16, 2014 (Tuesday), 10:00 AM CT / 11:00 AM – Eastern Time

Linda Naeve and Christa Hartsook (Iowa State University).  http://connect.msu.edu/ncrcrd

Support for and interest in local food systems is increasing in communities throughout the country. Much of the efforts are through “grassroots” organizations that seek funding support for their projects and programs. This project focused on seven programs in Midwest communities and how they utilized several grant sources to accomplish their goals. Linda and Christa will discuss the increased awareness in local foods and report on the case studies of funding support for community local foods programs.

 

About the Speakers: Linda Naeve is an extension program specialist at Iowa State University. As a specialist in horticulture, much of her work focuses on local food production, food safety, and local food systems. Christa Hartsook is an extension program coordinator at Iowa State University. As the small farms/acreage living coordinator, she focuses on local food production, opportunities for small farmers and homesteading.

 

There is no registration and no fee for attending this webinar. To join the webinar go to http://connect.msu.edu/ncrcrd, “enter as a guest” is by default already chosen. Type your name into the text box provided, and click on “Enter Room”. You are now in the meeting room for the webinar. The webinar will be recorded and archived at http://ncrcrd.msu.edu/ncrcrd/chronological_archive.

 

 

FUNDING

 

To date, FastTrac has educated nearly 500 veterans as they pursue innovative business ideas and turn them into realities.  

Classes in the Kauffman FastTrac program typically cost $700, but veterans have the opportunity to take this online course free of charge.

The course runs from Sept. 29 – Dec. 3 and takes place on Mondays and Wednesdays from 2:30 – 4:00 p.m. CDT. Learn more and register or visit www.fasttrac.org/veterans for more information.

 

U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation Invites Applications for Entrepreneurs Academy Grants - DEADLINE: September 26, 2014

Grants of up to $2,500 will be awarded to launch the Young Entrepreneurs Academy program in communities across the country....

 

NACo Invites You to Host a County Prosperity Summit – DEADLINE Oct 3

The National Association of Counties (NACo) invites rural and mid-sized counties (counties with a population under 250,000 or multi-county regions with a population under 400,000) to apply to host a Prosperity Summit.  These economic development workshops will bring national experts to your community who will work with local leaders to generate creative solutions around local economic development opportunities.  NACo will work with each selected county to develop a personalized agenda and individualized content relevant to specific local issues.  Each summit will convene approximately 25-50 participants, including a broad mixture of county elected officials and staff, other local and regional public officials, business owners, representatives of the nonprofit and philanthropic community and other relevant stakeholders.  The application deadline is October 3 at 5 p.m. ET and selected communities will be notified by October 24, 2014.  To apply online click here.  Contact Kathy Nothstine at knothstine@naco.org with any questions.

 

Applications Invited for National Dance Project Touring Awards - DEADLINE: October 14, 2014

The awards provide up to $35,000 for artist fees and travel in support of national tours of new dance works presented by nonprofit organizations in the United States....

 

Sustainable Development Program - Deadline: Rolling
Funder: Rockefeller Brothers Fund

 

Learning and Leadership Grants – Deadline: October 15, 2014
Funder: NEA

 

Chamber Music America Issues RFP for New Jazz Presenters Grant Program - DEADLINE: October 17, 2014

Grants of up to $30,000 are available to consortia of three U.S. presenters that collectively engage up to three professional U.S. jazz ensembles to perform at each presenter's venue....

 

$15M Solicitation for Regional Innovation Released - Applications must be submitted by November 3, 2014. Read the FFO…

The U.S. Department of Commerce released a solicitation (EDA-HDQ-OIE-2014-2004219) for Regional Innovation Grants via the 2014 Regional Innovation Strategies (RIS) program. Under the RIS program, Commerce is soliciting applications for three separate Regional Innovation Strategy funding awards, including:

• i6 Challenge grants;
• Science and Research Park Development Grants; and,
• Cluster Grants to support the development of seed capital funds.

These awards are intended to help develop regional innovation ecosystems that provide support and funding to startups engaged in the commercialization process that ultimately lead to high-growth companies – the drivers of regional economic prosperity and job creation.

Launched in 2010 as part of the Startup America Initiative, i6 Challenge grants support regional economic growth and job creation by providing funding to proof-of-concept and/or commercialization centers that increase the commercialization of innovations, ideas, intellectual property and research into viable companies. Proof-of-concept centers and commercialization centers can be physical or virtual, existing or new.

EDA will award Cluster Grants for seed funds to help support innovation-based, growth-oriented startups (generally less than three years old) by helping increase the availability of seed capital funding in regions across the country. These awards will provide funding for technical assistance to support feasibility, planning, formation, or launch of cluster-based seed capital funds to be deployed in support of innovation-based startups with a potential for high growth. The proposed seed funds must focus on startups that are commercializing or using an innovative technology in the development of their product or service.

Approximately $15 million in federal funding will be made available to support the three RIS grant programs:

• Up to $8 million for the 2014 i6 Challenge, from which EDA expects to award approximately 16 or more grants with a maximum award of $500,000.
• Up to $5 million for the Science and Research Park Development Grants program to award 10 or more grants with a maximum award of $500,000.
• Up to $2 million for Cluster Grants for Seed Funds to support approximately eight or more grants with a maximum award of $250,000.

Eligibility requirements differ for the three award types. For i6 Challenge grants and Cluster Grants, eligibility is restricted to state and local governments, institutions of higher education and nonprofit organizations. In addition to the types of applicants eligible for other RIS grants, for-profit organizations and hospitals may also apply for Science and Research Park Development Grants. EDA encourages applicants consider applying as a consortium.

Two Informational Webinars
SSTI is hosting with the Economic Development Administration two informational webinars, which will be recorded and posted to the SSTI website. The webinars will be on Monday, September 8 at 3:00 PM EDT and Wednesday, September 10 at 2:00 PM EDT to answer questions about the FFO.

Click here to register for the Webinar on the 8th. OR Click here to register for the Webinar on the 10th.

Space is limited and expected to fill very quickly. Read more »

FTA Announces Funding Opportunity to Promote Innovative Nationally and Regionally Significant Public Transportation Workforce Development Models and Programs - due by November 4.

The Federal Transit Administration has announced a Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) for the Innovative Public Transportation Workforce Development Program Ladders of Opportunity Initiative. FTA will make available approximately $7.85 million in appropriated funds in support of this effort. This NOFA solicits proposals that promote innovative nationally and regionally significant public transportation workforce development models and programs that invest in America's economic growth and help build ladders of opportunity into the middle class for American workers.

 

Filmmakers From Underrepresented Communities Invited to Apply for Tribeca All Access - DEADLINE: November 5, 2014

Five narrative filmmakers and five documentary filmmakers whose teams include a U.S.-based director or screenwriter from a community that is statistically underrepresented in the film industry will each receive a grant of $15,000 to use toward the development, production, post-production, or marketing of their film project....

 

Humane Society of the United States Foundation Invites Nominations for 2015 National Kind Teacher Award - DEADLINE: February 15, 2015

One winner will receive a framed certificate and a scholarship to the Humane Society University's Certified Humane Education Specialist program....

 

Public Welfare Foundation Accepting Letters of Intent for Juvenile Justice Programs - DEADLINE: Open (Letters of Inquiry)

Through its Juvenile Justice program, the foundation awards grants to organizations and programs working to end the criminalization and over-incarceration of youth in the United States....

 

 

 

Suzette M. Agans

Community and Economic Development
Rural Development | U.S. Department of Agriculture
1400 Independence Ave., S.W. | Washington, D.C. 20250-3253
Phone: 202.401.1922 | Fax 202.401.7311
www.rurdev.usda.gov

 

"Committed to the future of rural communities"
"Estamos dedicados al futuro de las comunidades rurales"

 

This electronic message contains information generated by the USDA solely for the intended recipients. Any unauthorized interception of this message or the use or disclosure of the information it contains may violate the law and subject the violator to civil or criminal penalties. If you believe you have received this message in error, please notify the sender and delete the email immediately.

FW: Publications, Tools, Learning, and Funding

From our colleagues at USDA-Rural Development

 

From: Agans, Suzette - RD, Washington, DC [mailto:Suzette.Agans@wdc.usda.gov]
Sent: Friday, September 05, 2014 2:33 PM
Subject: Publications, Tools, Learning, and Funding

 

PUBLICATIONS

Record U.S. soybean area, yield, and production are forecast

The 2014/15 U.S. soybean crop is forecast at 103.8 million tons (3.82 million bushels)—13.6 percent above the previous record set in 2009/10—based on the outlook for record area harvested and yield. The first USDA objective yield forecast for the 2014 crop indicates an all-time high of 3.05 tons per hectare (45.4 bushels per acre), 4.7 percent above the 2013/14 record. Harvested area is forecast at 34.02 million hectares (84.1 million acres), 9.7 percent above the previous record set in 2010/11. Higher supplies are forecast to raise season-ending soybean stocks to 11.7 million tons (430 million bushels), with the growing stocks forecast leading USDA to trim its 2014/15 forecast of the U.S. average farm price by 15 cents to $9.35-$11.35 per bushel. Seventy percent of the U.S. soybean crop was rated in good-to-excellent condition as of August 24—a level surpassed only once for this date (in 2004). Favorable growing conditions have been widespread throughout the country, with record yields anticipated for Illinois, Ohio, Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi. Find additional analysis in Oil Crops Outlook: August 2014.

 

Strategies to Mitigate Rural Poverty: Using Human and Social Capital 
Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta Podcast | August 2014
One outcome of the recent recession is that rural poverty rates are the highest since the mid-1980s. Mil Duncan, founding director of the University of New Hampshire’s Carsey Institute, discusses the issues facing the rural poor in an Economic Development podcast. Read the transcript or listen to the audio file

 

A blog in Shelterforce’s Rooflines poses the question “Is the Housing Crisis Over in Rural America?” The piece, by Housing Assistance Council’s Lance George, sheds some light on affordable housing in rural areas. Read the post here.

 

“Rural Connections: Challenges and Opportunities in America’s Heartland” is the title of a report prepared by TRIP, a national transportation research group. The report looks at the condition, use, and safety of the nation’s rural transportation system and discusses recommendations to improve connectivity in America’s small communities and rural areas to access jobs, education, and healthcare. Download a copy here.  

 

STEM Shortage is Most Acute for Manufacturers, Industry Week, Pete Fehrenbach

The shortage of job candidates who have STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) skills has grown so pronounced that, by one prominent measuring stick, high school grads with STEM backgrounds are now in higher demand in the job market than college graduates who don't have STEM skills.

That's a key finding of a new Brookings Institution report, "Still Searching: Job Vacancies and STEM Skills."

The report's author, Brookings analyst Jonathan Rothwell, says the study found that STEM job openings requiring only a high school diploma or college associate degree take an average of 40 days to fill, whereas non-STEM job openings that require a bachelor's degree take an average of 37 days to fill.

The data also show that manufacturing companies have greater difficulty filling STEM job vacancies than other types of businesses. The following index shows graphic evidence of that disparity:

"What we're seeing is that the manufacturing sector in general has a harder time filling vacancies than other sectors," Rothwell says. "And it seems that it's particularly a problem for the manufacturing industries that do more research and development, and have greater needs for STEM workers."

To help alleviate the problem and shield their companies against the impact of the STEM skill shortage, Rothwell recommends that manufacturers re-examine their hiring practices to make sure they are up to date with changes in the ways people are acquiring STEM skills.

"There may be ways to bring people in to get a particular skill, or a computer language, even if they haven't acquired the formal degree that is normally associated with it," Rothwell says. "For example, there has been a proliferation of online learning opportunities over the last few years through 'MOOCs' [massive open online courses] and other organizations that provide online access to university classes."  http://marketing.agracel.com/acton/rif/4048/s-00af-1409/-/l-0002:4c4c/l-0002/showPreparedMessage

 

New ACA Outreach and Education Projects Listed on RAC - RAC’s Rural Health Models and Innovations Hub now includes descriptions of ten projects that helped rural residents learn about their health insurance options under the Affordable Care Act. The projects were done by Office of Rural Health Policy Rural Health Care Outreach grantees, who received supplemental funding from ORHP for this work. The full list of project examples is available on RAC’s Health Insurance Outreach and Enrollment topic guide.

 

 

TOOLS

 

Community Paramedicine Topic Guide - this new guide focuses on the emerging profession of Community Paramedics and how rural communities can use paramedics and EMTs in expanded roles to provide healthcare services in the community. Visit the guide to learn how to start a community paramedicine program, find models and existing examples of programs, and challenges community paramedics’ face. The guide was developed by developed by RAC Information Specialist Mary Reinertson-Sand and expert reviewers Gary Wingrove, Chris Montera, Anne Montera of The Paramedic Foundation.

 

Transportation to Support Rural Healthcare Topic Guide - RAC's Transportation topic guide has received a major update and is now focused on how rural communities can address transportation issues to improve access to care. The guide was developed by RAC Information Specialist Kathleen Spencer with input from Jess Wallis, National Rural Transit Assistance Program; Jeremy Mattson, Upper Great Plains Transportation Institute; and Charles Dickson, Community Transportation Association of America.

 

 

LEARNING

 

The CDFI Fund, in partnership with the Opportunity Finance Network, is holding a series of webinars exploring the financial intricacies of community health centers and ways CDFIs can invest in them. The webinars will be held September 9, September 24, October 7 and October 22 at 2:00 PM ET. Learn more about the series by clicking here.  

 

NOTE: Breaking my own rule of only providing free learning opportunities.  But this looked very good – and worth if several groups got together to split the cost, I suspect. Please let me know how it went.

GrantStation is offering a webinar on Thursday, September 25, 2014, 2:00-4:00 PM ET on current trends affecting rural funding. Questions to be addressed in the webinar include: "When has it ever been easy to secure funding for rural communities? Is there a way to level the playing field so small towns and counties/boroughs can compete for both government and private sector grants? What are the other options for financially supporting a rural project whether you are a nonprofit or local government? Are collaborative efforts worth the effort? And, of course the biggest question: Who is funding rural America?" The webinar will be presented by Cynthia Adams, CEO of GrantStation. Cost: $89.00 per person, or $150.00 per site. Click the link here to register.

 

 

FUNDING

 

National Indian Health Outreach and Education (NIHOE I) - Application deadline: Sep 25, 2014
Funding for a national Indian organization to provide tribal health outreach and education; research and analyze Medicare and Medicaid programs; provide support in regards to Affordable Care Act policy; provide tribal budget consultation; and provide consultation to the Department of Health and Human Services. Sponsor: Indian Health Service

 

National Indian Health Outreach and Education (NIHOE III) - Application deadline: Sep 25, 2014
Provides funding to national Indian organizations to conduct Affordable Care Act/Indian Health Care Improvement Act training and technical assistance throughout Indian Country.
Sponsor: Indian Health Service

 

Incentive Grants for Practitioners, Students, and Community Practice Residents - Application deadline: Sep 29, 2014
Offers pharmacists seed money to implement or support an existing patient care service within their pharmacy practice. Sponsor: American Pharmacists Association

 

Advances in Patient Safety through Simulation Research (R18) - Application deadline: Sep 26, 2016
Award grants for projects that develop, test, and evaluate simulation approaches that have the potential to improve the safe delivery of healthcare. Past projects included testing simulation approaches in rural areas. Sponsor: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality

 

Tom's of Maine Invites Nominations for 2014 50 States for Good Competition - DEADLINE: September 30, 2015

Fifty-one organizations will be chosen by public vote to receive $10,000 each in support of a current or future community event or project....

 

Project Learning Tree Seeks Applications for Environmental Education Projects - DEADLINE: September 30, 2014

Grants of up to $2,000 will support environmental projects that embody service-learning, give students a voice, and involve at least one community partner....

 

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES is offering grants through the American Indian/Alaska Native Early Head Start Expansion and Early Head Start-Child Care Partnerships program which provides support to expand access to high-quality, comprehensive services for low-income American Indian/Alaska Native infants and toddlers and their families. Deadline: 10/6/2014. Click here to visit the website for more information and to apply.

 

BEN & JERRY'S FOUNDATION is offering grants of up to $20,000 to support nonprofit community-organizing groups in the United States working to further social and environmental justice and support sustainable and just food systems. Deadline: 10/15/2014 (pre-applications). Click here for application guidelines.  

 

U.S. SOCCER FOUNDATION is offering grants to nonprofits for their “Safe Places to Play” grant program. This program provides grants to organizations to build or enhance a field space in their community. Funds may be used for synthetic turf, lighting, irrigation, and installation of sport courts. Deadline to apply: Letter of Intent 9/24/2014; application 10/1/2014. Click here for application guidelines.

 

Verizon Foundation Grants - Application deadline: Oct 10, 2014
Awards grants to nonprofit organizations that use innovate technologies to reduce health disparities for women, children, and seniors. Also funds STEM education and energy projects.
Sponsor: Verizon Foundation

 

Healthy Tomorrows Partnership for Children Program - Application deadline: Oct 14, 2014
Grants to support community-based child health projects that improve the health status of mothers, infants, children, and adolescents by increasing their access to health services.
Sponsor: Maternal and Child Health

 

LOWE’S CHARITABLE AND EDUCATION FOUNDATION is accepting applications for Toolbox for Education Grants. Grants of up to $5,000 will be awarded in support of projects that have a permanent impact on a K-12 school community, such as a facility enhancement or landscaping/clean-up effort. Deadline: 10/15/2014. Click here to visit the website and review funding guidelines.

 

THE NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION FOUNDATION is offering capacity building grants to nonprofit organizations whose missions are focused on the improvement and responsible use of public land sites throughout the nation. Grants of up to $5,000 are provided to increase organizational effectiveness so that grantees can better conserve public lands. Deadline: 10/30/2014. Visit the Foundation’s website here to learn more about the program and the online application process.

 

THE DELTA REGIONAL AUTHORITY will award funding to rural counties and parishes within the Delta region (Alabama, Arkansas, Tennessee, Illinois, Missouri, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Kentucky) for the purposes of direct technical support and assistance needed to develop a connected workforce development system at the local level. Deadline: 11/4/2014. For application guidelines and more information, click here.  

 

Middle and High School Students Invited to Apply for Prudential Spirit of Community Awards - DEADLINE: November 4, 2014

The awards honor middle and high school students who volunteered at home or abroad in the previous year with a cash gift of $1,000, a silver medallion, and an all-expense-paid trip to Washington, D.C.; national honorees will receive $5,000 in cash plus a $5,000 grant for the charitable organization of their choice....

 

USDA is offering grants to nonprofits through the Rural Community Development Initiative (RCDI) which provides financial and technical assistance to recipients in developing their capacity and ability to undertake projects related to housing, community facilities, or community and economic development. DEADLINE: 11/12/2014. Click here for application guidelines.  

 

Florida Power & Light Offers Teacher Grants for Energy-Related Classroom Projects - DEADLINE: November 15, 2014

A total of $50,000 in grants of up to $1,000 per grant is available to public, private, and charter school teachers in FPL's service territory for classroom projects focused on any form of energy education....

 

A Blade of Grass Invites Letters of Interest for Fellowship for Socially Engaged Art - DEADLINE: November 24, 2014 (Letters of Intent)

ABOG fellowships support individual artists and artist collectives working on projects that promote art as a catalyst for social change in a specific community or communities....

 

USDA Announces $200 Million to Promote Innovation in SNAP Employment and Training Programs – DEADLINE: November 24, 2014

The U. S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced that up to $200 million in competitive grants is available for state SNAP agencies to design and conduct employment and training (E&T) pilot projects to help Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) participants find jobs and increase their earnings. A portion of these funds will be used to fund an independent evaluation of the E&T pilots. The solicitation for the evaluation contract was also released today.

Grant applications are due Nov. 24, 2014. All 53 state agencies currently administering SNAP are eligible to apply (including all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Guam and the Virgin Islands). Awards will be announced in February 2015. The Request for Applications is available on www.grants.gov and on the FNS website. The grants will fund a performance period of three years and USDA expects projects to be operational by Oct. 1, 2015. Proposals to evaluate the impact of the pilots are due Oct. 1, 2014.

News Release                  Link to RFA                       Link to Evaluation Solicitation

 

AAUW Accepting Applications for Community Action Grants - DEADLINE: January 15, 2015

Grants of up to $10,000 will be awarded to innovative programs or non-degree research projects that promote education and equity for women....

 

Udemy Accepting Applications for Online Courses That Benefit Society - DEADLINE: Rolling

Grants of $2,500 will be awarded to nonprofits and NGOs to support the creation of online courses that provide social benefit....

 

ING Unsung Heroes Program Invites K-12 Educators to Apply for 2015 Class Project Awards - DEADLINE: April 30, 2015

Each year, one hundred educators are selected to receive awards of $2,000 to help fund innovative classroom projects and have a chance to receive an additional $25,000....

 

FINRA INVESTOR EDUCATION FOUNDATION offers funding to nonprofits, and state and public colleges and universities for projects that advance understanding of the relationships among financial literacy, financial capability, and financial well-being. Deadline: A Project Concept Form may be submitted at any time. Grants of $50,000 to $100,000 are available. Visit the Foundation’s website here for application guidelines and more information.

 

Rural Health IT Workforce Loan Fund
Geographic Coverage: Specific counties of Alabama, Arkansas, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Tennessee
Application deadline: Applications accepted on an ongoing basis. Loans for health care providers in underserved communities to successfully adopt and utilize a Health IT system. Sponsor: Delta Regional Authority

 

Rural Economic Development Loan and Grant Program (REDLG) - Application deadline: Applications accepted on an ongoing basis.
Offers loans and grants to assist in the economic development of rural areas, including funds for healthcare facilities and equipment; telecommunications networks; and job creation projects.
Sponsor: USDA Rural Development

 

 

 

Suzette M. Agans

Community and Economic Development
Rural Development | U.S. Department of Agriculture
1400 Independence Ave., S.W. | Washington, D.C. 20250-3253
Phone: 202.401.1922 | Fax 202.401.7311
www.rurdev.usda.gov

 

"Committed to the future of rural communities"
"Estamos dedicados al futuro de las comunidades rurales"

 

This electronic message contains information generated by the USDA solely for the intended recipients. Any unauthorized interception of this message or the use or disclosure of the information it contains may violate the law and subject the violator to civil or criminal penalties. If you believe you have received this message in error, please notify the sender and delete the email immediately.